Breaking Love
by KunoichiRena
Summary: Finding himself at school with your former foster family brings forth old, unhealed scars back into play after five years. Coping with feelings is always the hardest thing to do. Sequel to Broken Apart.
1. Remembrance

AN: Just…don't flame…I beg of thee…doctors appointments are soaring through my calendar and I honestly can say that I'm drained

AN: Just…don't flame…I beg of thee…doctors appointments are soaring through my calendar and I honestly can say that I'm drained. –Insert sweat drop- Anyways, I hope you enjoy the sequel I'm creating! It took me a while to think up of something decent, so if it's crap, I hope you understand. This is it, everyone, Breaking Love is here!

Disclaimer- I don't own Naruto nor the game Clue. Not sure about whom does for the game, but Masashi Kishimoto owns Naruto.

Remembrance

Little by little, the fifteen year old boy inched his way towards the new school, shoulders sore from the previous night attack. This time, it was a rat that triggered it. Yes, a rat. The barracks were infested with the vermin as they preyed on whatever source of food there was, and in the case of war, it was most likely decaying human flesh. Apologies were made quickly and many tears were shed, but not from the boy. No, he placed his arms around his father and comforted him, hugging him tightly. It wasn't the boy who needed the father; it was the father who needed the boy. Five years had passed, and it was decided that they would move yet again, wanting to get away from the memories made there and hoping to start fresh without the war trauma. However, that wasn't the case. It happened the previous night with a rolling pin in the kitchen. Sounds like a game of _Clue,_ doesn't it? A chilly wind blew, making the blonde haired boy's teeth chatter. He walked through the gates and stopped, seeing someone on the roof of the school. His heart raced as he though he recognized the figure, but took a second look and shook his head, knowing that it couldn't have been anyone he knew.

"Uzumaki Naruto?"

He looked up, acknowledging the person calling his name.

"That's me…"

"You're new, correct? I'm Principal Sarutobi. Now hurry before class starts, we shouldn't interrupt them while trying to study. Follow me."

"Alright, I'm coming."

Naruto acknowledged, squinting his eyes as he examined the principal, trying to discern how old he was. He was going bald and had wrinkles, but he was walking faster than some people who looked, and probably were, younger than him.

There wasn't any time for him to look around the school with Sarutobi walking as quickly as he was. He had a hard time keeping up but they eventually came to a stop, Naruto looking up at the class number and taking a quick mental note.

"Excuse me, Mr. Hayate, but you have your new student."

"Bring him in. Class, pay attention, this will be your new classmate…"

"Uzumaki Naruto…"

Everyone waited for him to continue, but it looked like his name was the introduction itself.  
"Right…okay then…you can sit next to Yamanaka Ino. Ino, would you please raise your hand so he knows who you are?"

A hand rose in the air, Naruto nodding as he looked beside her to see an empty seat and going to it.

"Alright, let's continue our lesson. Ino, could you show our new student the page we are at and can he read from the text?"

"Yes sir."

She replied, he pulling out his book and she flipped to the right page, pointing to the line that they were at.

"We're studying history, so you should read the book from up until the place we finish today."

"Yeah…thanks…"

Naruto stood up again, beginning to read out loud. Unbeknownst to him, two pairs of eyes were watching him intently from the rows behind, they looking at each other before looking back up to the blue eyed boy.

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The bell rung, lunch beginning as the students were now riled up in chatter about the latest gossip and more so about the new kid.

"Just so you get this straight, blondie, I'm not going to show you around school or anything. If the teacher asks if I did, you say yes, got it?"

"Yeah…I wouldn't want you showing me around the school either. I'm not interested in you at all."

"Why you…"

Her hands clenched next to her, this time, Naruto looked up to her with hardened eyes.

"I know your kind. Believe me when I say I'm not interested."

With that, Naruto stood up and grabbed his book bag, about to leave when Ino stopped him.

"You…you're the first one not interested in me. But don't worry, soon you will be."

Naruto snorted and resumed leaving the room, looking up to make sure he would remember what room he was in. Everything around him seemed surreal. Everything was new and he already began making new enemies. It was easier that way, he figured. If everyone was your enemy, then you'd be less disappointed when they left your life…it was one of life's harsh lessons he had learned in an early age. If you made a friend and they left you, the void would never be sealed up again.

"Hey, long time no see, Naruto."

Naruto froze, not turning around. Everything he felt shattered at the voice, but still, he couldn't turn around.

"What are you doing here?"

Finally, he summed up the courage as the second voice spoke and turned around. His chest heaved with excitement, but he decided not to show it.

"And you are…?"

"What are you saying? It's me, Sasuke and Gaara…!"

"Doesn't sound familiar."

His heart wrenched in pain. All his senses were telling him to run to them and hug them and cry his eyes out, but instead, he kept his eyes hardened and his features void of any expression.

"What…?! Why you…"

"Sasuke…let's just go…obviously he doesn't care."

Gaara's voice pierced him cold, his hands clenched more tightly around his book case.

'_Wait…'_

He wanted to cry. He wanted to speak with them again and hold them back and tell them everything, but also, not tell them anything at all. Knowing them, they'd try and get him back into foster care, but he knew he couldn't. He couldn't go back, he didn't want his father to go to jail. He knew that he was a kind man and was trying so desperately to change himself, but it was hard. It was like smoking. Once you start and continue doing so for a long time, it's hard to stop. It was the same for Arashi only in a different way. Once he started war, it was hard to not think about war. But he was trying so hard not to make any connections with the war that Naruto knew he was doing the best he could as a human. The attacks had become less frequent since he arrived with his father, but they were still existent nonetheless but Naruto knew they'd be gone in a little while. All he had to do was be strong for him and his father…not hard…right…?

"No! He cares, dammit! Listen to me, Naruto, if you think I've forgiven you for what you've done, you're highly mistaken. I've fulfilled my promise and kept Gaara safe, now you have to promise me to come back!"

Naruto looked at Sasuke's angry positioning of his body and Gaara holding him back by the shoulder and let out a single chuckle, turning his back.

"Sorry…I don't even know who you are…so please leave me alone."

A hurt smile crossed his face as he continued on his way, leaving the two baffled behind him. Gaara's fingers dug into Sasuke's shoulder as the raven haired boy tried to chase after him, looking back to his foster brother shaking his head.

"Obviously he doesn't want to talk to us yet. Give him time."

"Time…? Isn't five years enough time!?"

Gaara didn't reply. He knew that Sasuke needed to figure things out on his own. After all, he was old enough to decide what needed to be done but sometimes needed guidance.

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Naruto sat on top of the roof, eating a broken off piece of bread, drinking milk at the same time.

"What a lunch. Aren't you going to be hungry?"

Naruto looked up to see a female with pink hair approach him accompanied by another female, making Naruto drop his bread. It was Hinata. He lowered his head and hid behind raised arms.

"No…excuse me."

He stood up, running past them while hoping he wouldn't be seen by the lavender eyed female.

"H-hey, wait! Ugh, that idiot…honestly, we're the welcoming committee and he doesn't even stick around for that."

"Sakura, it's alright. He's probably just shy. Most of them are."

Hinata chuckled, picking up the remains of the leftover lunch and throwing it in the trash.

"Though I think I recognize him from somewhere…do you know his name?"

"Uh…yeah…I think we were supposed to welcome an 'Uzumaki Naruto' if that makes sense."

"I-I don't think it could."

Hinata spoke, turning on her heel.

"Hey, where are you going!?"

"I-I'm just doing my job! I'm going to find Naruto-kun and welcome him to the school!"

"In that case, wait for me! I want to meet him too!"

She hollered back, sprinting to catch up with Hinata.

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"Dammit, they're everywhere…what am I supposed to do…?"

Naruto hid in a tree, covering his eyes with his arm. He didn't know what to do. Everything was happening too fast for him and it was all confusing. Why was his foster family in this school…? Why did Arashi pick this school for him? Did he know or was it purely coincidental? He rubbed his shoulders as he felt tenderness to it and sighed.

"What am I supposed to do…?"

He opened his eyes and looked up, feeling fatigued. He hadn't been sleeping very well at night and it began affecting him. He raised his wrist and set his watch to go off in ten minutes and closed his eyes, feeling everything around him begin to melt into a swirling abyss of unknowing.

"Naaarutooo!"

The boy ignored the calls of the females and slept the best he had in five years.

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AN: There. Honestly, I could use some sleep myself. I haven't been sleeping well, so this sounds divine. You could say I based a little bit of Naruto off myself –wink wink-. **Anyways, I have an idea of adding a new character to give Naruto a boost in the story, so I need your opinions**! It's going to be female and her name will be Kaikeo Rena if you want her to be in. It would spruce some things up a bit. I would love an answer back! I'm a little hesitant in adding her in, but I'm hoping I can. –Nods- Hope you enjoyed the first chapter!


	2. Overwhelming Fear

AN: Well…I guess many people forgot about me…

AN: Well…I guess many people forgot about me….-deep sigh- I don't blame you….tis my fault for not keeping up.

Overwhelming Fear

Naruto awoke to the sounds of people playing afterschool soccer, his heart jumping in his mouth. His watch set off, he not bothering about it for a while, realizing that it had been going off and on every minute for the past few hours. The soccer ball whizzed towards him, his reflex kicking in and he caught it, looking down.

"Mind passing the ball back?"

The boy's bowl-cut hairstyle seemed to gleam in the sun, Naruto trying not to make a face at it's strangeness. He passed the ball back, the boy shouting out a 'thank you' before returning to the game, bringing the soccer ball up towards the field. Naruto heaved a sigh, jumping out of the tree and turning the alarm off on his watch. He journeyed back inside, dreading having to meet up with the teachers and his classmates. Worse of all, he dreaded meeting up with more of his foster family.

"You can get away from Sasuke, but you can't get away from me."

Instantly, Naruto turned around to see Gaara with his arms crossed, a look of scorn etched deeply into his face.

"You didn't call, you didn't write, you didn't do anything to regain contact with us and you expect us to be alright with it?"

Naruto looked down, not uttering a word or sound. Rather, he kicked a locker softly, knowing that he was cornered.

"I met you only twice before today, and I knew that you were as damaged as me if not more or a little less, but I could see. After talking with Sasuke and the others, I realized why you went back with your real father. Sasuke broke down in tears when you left and told me everything that happened at your father's house. Is he still beating you up? What are you doing with him?"

"S-shut up! You don't know anything! Instead of getting mad with me, get mad with the one that actually sent me away!"

Naruto shouted, this time, he was the one angered. He dropped his book case and approached Gaara.

"If you say one more word bad mouthing my father, I will never forgive you."

"So you love him after all. Do you love him more than your foster family? What about the rest of us? Did you know that Hinata was raped soon after you left? How about Choji when he nearly died because of a hit and run? Or how about Kiba when he was nearly mauled to death by a pack of dogs and needed stitches? Do-"

"SHUT UP!"

Naruto clenched his fist, about to hit Gaara but refrained from doing so. Tears welled in his eyes, his eyes hardening as he lowered his fist.

"Dad had to pick up the pieces of what was left of us. Dad helped you, yet you protect someone who has been attacking you for five years? Yeah, Naruto, he loves you as much as we do."

That did it. All tears were let loose as he stood in the same place, not knowing what to do. Everything was happening too fast for him and now Gaara comes to him with news like this that didn't bode well with him.

"How do you think I feel after being left alone with him? I was only eleven, how could I understand what was happening?! You don't understand where I stand in this and you never will until you're put in the same shoes as me, so shut up and leave me alone! Don't you think I didn't miss you!? Well you're dead wrong, alright?! I stepped aside to let you heal with Dad and the others because you needed it more than I did! I stepped aside and suffered five years of coping with a mentally unstable father who beats me every time he is reminded of war just so you could have a chance at life like I did! And this is how you so kindly repay me…? With…painful memories and news!?"

Gaara was no longer looking at Naruto, rather, behind him. The blue eyed boy turned around, his gut turning into ice for there stood his biological father, a look of pure horror and sadness upon his face.

"D-dad…I-I…"

"I'll…leave you with your friend for a while…I thought something happened to you because you didn't come home…so I came…I'll be waiting in the car."

"Dad, wait…!"

"Naruto…I understand, don't worry. It's alright. I'll go get some help if that'll make you feel better."

A feigned smile crossed Arashi's face as he closed his eyes, trying not to cry.

"I…have an after school activity…is all…I'll come home at 8 tonight…"

"All right then. I won't wait. See you at home."

As soon as Arashi turned the corner, Naruto punched a locker. One hit wasn't enough, though. He hit it again, and again, and again, his knuckles turning bloody. He held his forehead and allowed himself to cry, watching the blood from his knuckles drip onto the ground. Gaara placed a hand on his back, Naruto tearing away from his touch with a yell.

"It's all your fault…! Everything is all your fault! Leave me alone!"

Gaara's face dropped, Naruto realizing the harshness of his voice and words, regretting it immediately.  
"G-Gaara…no…I didn't mean it…"

"Naruto, just don't. Don't even try."

The red head proceeded to leave him alone in the corridor, Naruto gripping a fistful of hair before releasing a feral yell, sobs racking through his body.

'_I can never say anything right…! Dad…god no…I can't go home tonight…he'll hurt me…oh god…I'm his son, I shouldn't be thinking of these things…what the hell is wrong with me…!?'_

His mind screamed to him to move and apologize, but he was stuck in neutral.

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Naruto awoke to find himself laying on the ground, a cover draped over his body. He looked around, finding an older female reading a book, she looking over to him.

"Well, now, all better?"

"Who're you?"

"Guess you don't remember me. I'm Sakura? The one from the welcoming committee that tried to greet you on the school roof today? Haruno Sakura? Is there something wrong with your brain?"

Naruto didn't reply. He simply stared at the pink haired female and stood up, tossing the cover off of him.

"Is there something wrong with yours? I don't want to see your ugly forehead ever again."

"Why you rude little…I should beat you up for that…!"

She rolled up her sleeves, Naruto turning to her, unmotivated to even try to block a punch that came his way but never made contact.

"Well? Where's your spark?"

"You're…not defending yourself…"

"So? You're a girl. The worst you could do is a bruise."

She growled, hitting his shoulders with both fists. His eyes widened in pain, not forgetting the last attack with his father had already wounded his shoulders. He sank to his knees, gripping his shoulders.

"H-hey, I didn't hit you that hard…did I? Well it serves you right."

She began to walk away, Naruto still on the ground. She tried not to worry about it, but she turned back anyways and kneeled next to him.

"Hey…are you alright…?"

"Just…get away from me…!"

He told her through clenched teeth.

"Let me just see-"

She began to pull the neck of his shirt down a bit, wanting to see his shoulders, but he pulled back immediately. Her eyes widened as she caught a glimpse of a bruise that was a deep purple color. He stood up and backed away to a locker, staring her in the face.

"Don't you ever get near me again, do you understand me?"

"And what are you going to do if you DO happen to see my face?"

Naruto didn't reply. Everything around him seemed to be flushing down the toilet and he didn't need some annoying pink haired girl to be following him around.

"You know, it's my job to show you around the school. You better not run away from me tomorrow or else I will track you down with Hinata."

"Don't bring her into this!"

Naruto snapped, covering his mouth. The words left him too quickly for his brain to realize what was happening. He mentally kicked himself multiple times before looking down.

"So you like her, huh?"

"That's not it. Don't mention anything about me to her. It's a private matter."

"Then you have to agree with me to have me show you around. Don't think you can try and make me your girlfriend, though. I have eyes for someone else."

"I'm not interested in you."

He replied curtly, shaking his head. Naruto looked at his watch, seeing that it was already well past seven thirty, meaning he'd never get home on time.

"But…uh…what can you tell me about Hinata…?"

"So you ARE interested in her."

"I can't tell you anything about our relationship and you can't tell her about me."

"Alright, whatever. This school isn't big, anyways, so she'll see you sooner or later."

"I'm hoping for the latter. Now tell me everything you know."

"Well…she lives in foster care with a man named Umino Iruka…she's got no boyfriend as of yet…she has her foster brothers here, she practices ballet…"

"Which of her brothers comes here?"

"Lemme see…Gaara…Sasuke…Kiba…Shikamaru…and Choji. I think that's it."

"I see…thanks…"

"Hey, where are you going!?"

"It's none of your business."

"Hold it!"

Unintentionally, Naruto froze on the spot and turned towards her.

"Aren't you going to take me home? You know, protect me from the perverts on the street?"

"Listen, I have my own problems to deal with. I can't escort you, I have to do something. I promised my dad I'd be home for eight."

"Fine. If I'm raped or anything, I'm blaming it on you."

Naruto's eyes widened, thinking back to Hinata instantly and Gaara's words. He didn't want that to happen to any other girl.

"Fine. Where do you live?"

"It's a walkable distance, but I have to go through some alleys."

He frowned deeply, disliking the idea of passing through alleys alone after taking her home.

"Whatever, let's just go."

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Naruto arrived to her house, seeing her off before turning around and sitting on the ground at the beginning of the driveway. It was already half past eight and he knew his father must have been freaking out at the time. He dreaded going back, not wanting to face his mistake he had made earlier on in the day with Gaara. How could he manage to tell him what really happened? 'Hey dad, I didn't mean it. I met up with Gaara from the foster care and he riled me up and forced me to say those words,' wouldn't work. It was his fault. No one else could say those words but him. To both Gaara and Arashi. It was hell. The blond buried his head in between his knees, sighing deeply. Nothing was going right. Even that girl, Sakura, was getting on his nerves. He hated talking and it was a forced situation with her before. She wouldn't let up, that stupid girl. So many questions and black mail…what twisted cruelty. He made his way back to the train station, dreading everything that was going to go his way. He didn't want it and it made him feel nauseous.

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Slowly, but surely, he make his way up his street. The van was still in the driveway, indicating that Arashi was still in the house. Reminiscing about the past, no doubt. There was also another car in the driveway, though, that was only too familiar. It was Iruka. His face paled, and this time, he really did fall to his knees and throw up his lunch (for he didn't eat supper). He gave a few dry heaves before wiping his mouth with the back of his hand, his entire body trembling in fear. He didn't want to return home now…not now…he knew it was a reunion that was planned by Arashi to make Naruto feel more at home. He didn't want to return to his memories…to…to Gaara or Sasuke…especially Sasuke with the way he left things hanging five years ago. Everything outside was quiet except for a few exceptions of some cars passing by and the wind. He turned back to look inside the house as best as he could, seeing faint sillouhettes of people against the wall. Slowly, a figure came into view. It was Kiba, a dog rushing to the window and barking.

"What is it, boy?"

Kiba stroked his dog's head, looking around. Naruto's eyes widened, hurrying over to a bush to hide. Kiba squint his eyes tighter, seeing only the rustling bushes.

"It's alright. Probably only a cat. Oi, Arashi, didn't you say Naruto would be here at eight?"

Naruto tuned everything out. He ran off, not wanting to return home to his past family.

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AN: Yes, I know, it's a little useless this chapter, but it had to be done. He had to move forward somehow and this was the only way I could think of. Naruto may be a little ooc, but he'll get to the Naruto we all know and love eventually. He still has the traits of duty and arrogance as the one in the manga. –firm nod-


	3. Motivation

AN: -Yawns- Wow…I think I finally turned insomniac

AN: -Yawns- Wow…I think I finally turned insomniac. Probably only sleep 3-5 good, undisturbed, hours at night. Every other minute I wake up—paranoid. Why? Who knows? Not even I do…! Song listening to while making this chappie: Memories by within temptation

Motivation

Naruto walked past the pharmacy, walking inside to buy himself a quick snack and iced tea. Fortunately enough for him, it was open 24/7 and he didn't have to worry too much. For the hell of it, he wandered through the isles of pills, reading the back labels of each and trying to remember their effects. He got bored one night and browsed the net for hours after an attack, finding the information interesting but never sinking in. It wasn't his thing, anyways. Hell, he depicted himself as a loser who wouldn't get anywhere in life without confidence or any solid ground to stand on. His heart clenched as he thought back to Iruka…the only real person who cared so deeply for him with all his heart…Naruto's head turned to the side, seeing an advertisement for contact lenses. He thought to colored lenses for a moment before a flash of Kurenai appeared in his head, thinking of her natural blood-red eye color. He held his forehead, wondering why he was thinking of her in such a place. No one else was in the store but the cashier, he feeling a little more at peace. He didn't even know why he was running from his family. Was it because of the memories or something more…? The blond haired boy felt a hot sensation rush up his throat again, he forcing bile back down his throat. It was only nerves, but he had many things to be nervous about. Realizing that you came back to your hometown and meet your foster family at school…he quickly shook his head clear of the thoughts and went to go pay for his night meal, feeling a sense of dread wash over him. What could he say to Arashi…? Surely he'd be out looking for him by now. He had an idea. He walked out of the store and not even three steps out is when he saw his father's car with Iruka trailing behind. Oh god…what was he going to say…? I forgot you, dad…?

"Naruto! What are you doing!? You were supposed to be home almost 3 hours ago!"

Naruto ran to his father's car, pretending not to see Iruka. He put on the best smile he could muster and even that wasn't saying much. His smile faltered as he saw his father frown.  
"You had guests over."

"Sorry…I didn't know…I got lost coming back home since the train broke down and I ended up on the other side of town…"

He scratched the back of his head, about to open the door when Arashi stopped him, locking the doors at the last second.

"What's wrong…?"

"Don't you recognize that car behind me?"

Naruto looked behind and felt a cold chill breathe down his spine, he shaking his head.

"No…sorry…"

"Naruto…go over and say hi…"

"But I don't know the people…!"

He tried protesting, Arashi sighing as he flashed his headlights twice before opening the door for Naruto, he getting inside. The car behind him drove away, the young teen thanking the god that never seemed to exist in his life.

"I'm disappointed in you."

"Why…?"  
"You know why. Why couldn't you go over to the man and wave at least, huh? You're supposed to listen to me when I speak to you!"

Naruto's eyes widened as he looked at his father, seeing him beginning to go into his frenzy.

'_Please…not in the car…anywhere but in the car…'_

He mentally pleased, shutting his eyes tightly together as they drove onwards. They slowly reached the house, Naruto scrambling out of the car with his bag and made his way over to the house, opening the door. Inside looked like a party, but the main guest didn't arrive. Arashi walked past Naruto, making his way to his room. With a sullen look plastered across his features, Naruto proceeded to take down the decorations, dumping them in the trash can. In the morning, all would be forgotten and he'd have to go to school…again. He stopped momentarily, seeing a bear sitting on the counter. His eyes widened as he reached over to pick it up, realizing what it was.

"Stupid comfort bear…"

He smiled sadly, examining the bear more closely. It was old and tattered, pieces of fabric was sewn together to prevent the stuffing from coming out with one eye that looked like it could fall off at any second. He placed it inside his bag and proceeded to put away unused plates and utensils, spraying air freshener around the house to get rid of the stench of Kiba's dog. He gave up after a while and decided to go to his room, passing by his father's open door. He was staring at a picture of his wife, tears dropping on the glass. Naruto frowned deeply, wanting to help his father but knew that he was only a step away from an attack. He continued walking, closing his door. He heard shuffling and held his breath in anticipation. Slowly, he counted the seconds going by, diving to his bed as he stared at the door. Usually that was enough to stop the attack being as in there were hardly any doors in the war made out of wood. His breathing quickened as the handle began to turn, Naruto tensed up as he saw Arashi in the doorway, the look of a madman to him. After a while, his instincts of fight or flight turned into endure or fight. He just wanted the first blow to be dealt with so he knew how angry he was. Surely, it came. A fist flew into contact with his face. Good…at least it wasn't an object and just his fists this time. The boy didn't even try to protect himself from the older blonde as he kept hitting him until he fell to the ground beside the bed, the older man upturned the mattress on top of him, finally coming to his senses.

"N-Naruto…oh god…what have I done…?"

'_The same thing you've been doing for the past 5 years…'_

He mentally replied but his voice remained silent as he pushed the mattress off of him, replacing it on the skeleton of the bed. He nonchalantly fixed the sheets and turned to his father, a bruise beginning to form on his cheek.

"How can you be so casual about it…?!"

"I figure it's what I deserve after what I said to Gaara about you today. I know you wouldn't do anything otherwise."

He was half telling the truth anyways. He wanted to be punished for saying something like that about him, but not in the fashion he so hated. No TV or no computer sounded alright, but him using only his fists was practically a godsend in Naruto's case.

"Are you crazy!? Of course I wouldn't punish you for telling the truth…!"

"Not tonight, dad…I'm tired."

"At least ice your cheek…"

"Yeah, in the morning…I have school tomorrow. Good night."

Tears began to form in Arashi's eyes as he slouched to the ground, hugging Naruto tightly.

"I promise…I'll go get help…I promise…I don't know why I haven't done that yet…"

Naruto hugged his father back emotionlessly, his shoulders now hurting more than ever from another attack. What was he gonna tell the shrink when he got there…? 'Hi, I've been beating my son for the past five years and only now I've come for help. Is there anyway I can stop without social services confiscating my son in the meantime?' Yeah…that's totally work out… Naruto helped his father to his feet and escorted him back to his room, shutting the door. He gulped and returned to his room, sinking under his covers without changing out of his school clothes and falling into a dreamless sleep where nothing but darkness wrapped around his body.

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Naruto began dozing off in class as a motivational speaker came in to try and prep them for 'life' and their 'future.' In all honesty, Naruto wouldn't have been surprised if this guy read some dumb essay off the internet and then considered himself good enough to be a professional. He inwardly snorted, his head falling off his hand and hitting the desk, all heads turning his direction. In a flash he sat back upright, blushing horribly.

"Come on, don't tell me you're not falling asleep with this crap?"

Naruto questioned a little too loudly, the old geezer up front made his way over to Naruto, staring at him closely almost nose-to-nose. The rest of the class had to try and keep from snickering.

"You've got guts…"

"You've got bad breath…haven't you ever tried a mint or at least some gum?"

A girl from the back laughed loudly for a few seconds before holding it in, covering her mouth as her face turned red.

"I like this kid!"

The man laughed loudly, everyone becoming surprised. He slapped Naruto's shoulder playfully, tears springing to Naruto's eyes but kept them back. Naruto gnashed his teeth together as he kept on smacking him, the victim looking at the chalkboard to at least find out the name of his new tormentor: Jiraiya.

"Can you quit it?"

He brushed Jiraiya's hand aside, the old man stepping back with a large grin on his face.

"See? This is what is needed to get to tomorrow—guts! Nerve, guts, and determination! Set a goal for yourself and life it out until your dying breath! That'll make who you are!"

For once, Naruto paid attention, and for once, something made sense to him and clicked.

"Dreaming is a part of growing up, but failure is as well, so don't be afraid to make mistakes! Everyone does. Even if they are really embarrassing and you'd want to die on the spot, which I've had happen to even myself very often, you've got to be able to face it with sheer determination and maybe a little bit of comfort food."

He expected giggles but there was only a few and even some people turning their heads, embarrassed. Naruto, however, become more and more encompassed in what he had to say, his face simply glowing.

"There are times when there's more bad luck than good luck, but that's okay. Just share it with a buddy or even with me, and you'll see there's more to laugh about than be depressed about."

He looked around, dramatizing the effect with suspense in the air, Naruto practically jumping up and down to hear more. He never felt so…moved, actually. This man wasn't a man, he was more of a kid that never grew up.

"So, is my favorite kid finding this still boring or are ya ready to jump out of your pants and into new ones?"

Naruto turned his head, trying not to show his anticipation.

"I think I know someone who can do better than that…"

He replied, wanting to see what else this man could come up with.

"Alright then, let's continue on."

There was a series of groans emanating from the students, but Naruto didn't care. No one had ever given him this advice before so he was more than eager to know more.

"You kids nowadays don't know the meaning of keeping promises, do you? Some of you being stood up on dates, even a promise as little as washing the dishes is important. Man or woman, never go back on them. You have to learn to trust people!"

At this point in time, Naruto began fuming. Trust…? Trust who? The first person he thought he could trust was _Kurenai._ But as it turned out, she gave him away and got him admitted into a hospital for a while. Then it was Iruka…Iruka…he never could trust him a hundred percent because he was already wounded, but he trusted her more than Kurenai after a while. Then it was Sasuke…but yesterday's demonstration crushed him to pieces and everything shattered.

"Even if you think that you can trust no one, think, what have you done to the other person to gain their trust?"

Rescued Sasuke from a fire…Sasuke rescued him back…Iruka with the previous caretaker he had was when he gained his trust…but what had he done back…? Leave…that's what he did. He left them all…worse of all was Sasuke. He lost his trust there…

"If there is trust, communication, and teamwork, then everything can be achieved. This is also helped with keeping promises. Let's say you promise to wash the car for you dad, then you do it, and you get rewarded. It strengthens the trust. The reward may not be immanent, but it will come along later in your life be it sooner or later."

Promises…right…bad memories…

"Anyways, there's a lot I could say, but that's basically the gist of it. Any questions?"

The bell rang, everyone getting their belongings together.

"I'm here afterschool, so if you have any questions, don't hesitate to come see me!"

He called after them, leaning back against the windowsill, Naruto opening his desk to take out a bit of homework and placing it in his bag. He shuffled stuff around a bit, finding 5 rolls of undeveloped film. He picked them up, furrowing his eyebrows together. Realization hit him as he remembered giving his camera to Gaara before leaving the foster care.

He wanted to rush home to get it developed, but eh felt someone pulling him by the scruff of his neck. He looked back to see Jiraiya's face smirking at him.

"Let's wait to talk until the others are gone."

"Why? You a pedo of some sort?"

Jiraiya didn't reply, this time, he held a grim face. Everyone left, Naruto taking a seat on his desk.

"Yeah?"

"So, how long have you been living with Arashi?"

"What's it to you?"

"I know about his condition. I could tell that you were his son by taking one close look at you. You're his spitting image."

Naruto's face paled as he raced to the door, closing it quickly so no one could hear.

"How the hell do you know about me living with him?"

"Don't all kids live with their parents?"

"I know two people in this class live with a foster parent."

He replied in a hushed voice, approaching Jiraiya with a finger pointed in his face. In a flash, he grabbed it and examined the bruises on his hands and then looked at his face again.

"He did it, didn't he?"

Naruto gasped, his face turning as white as a sheet, trying to find his voice to protest.

"No…he didn't. I got into a street fight."

He explained as calmly as he could, trying to cover the panic in his voice.

"It's written all over your face. Have you tried making loud noises?"

"What…?"

Jiraiya slammed his fist against the desk, making Naruto jump.

"Loud noises to scare him. It always snaps him out of his trances."

"I don't know what you're talking about."

"Dammit, don't play dumb! I know you're being abused by him!"

He shouted loudly, standing up to his full height while dangling Naruto's wrist in the air up high, lifting the boy from his feet.

"If you won't tell me anything, I'll have to force it out of you, do you understand me? I'm doing this because he was someone I took care of after he ran away from home for a few years! I got letters from him all the time and took care of him after the war too! Do you honestly believe he's sane and capable of taking care of you!?"

"He's not doing anything! Let go of me!"

The door opened, Sasuke stepping into the room to come across the scene. His face darkened in anger, fists held at both sides. His eyes hardened as he stared at the scene, jaw twitching in contorted anger boiling deep inside him.

"You…just what the hell do you think you're doing to Naruto?"

"Who are you supposed to be?"

Jiraiya didn't let go of him, rather smirked towards the blonde.

"Do you know this person, Naruto?"

He didn't answer, his shoulders were screaming out in pain as he tried using his other hand to attack Jiraiya, he catching his other fist. He let out a pained gasp, tears forming in his eyes as he hung his head, trying to find a surface to stand on with his feet.

"Put. Him. Down."

Jiraiya laughed, jingling Naruto up and down, he letting out another cry of pain, making the older man stop.

"You going to admit it now?"

"I said put him down NOW!"

Sasuke ran towards Jiraiya as fast as he could, jumping on top of the desks to try and reach him faster. The older man dropped him, forced to block a kick from Sasuke.

"If you know him, you should know what's happening with his so-called _father!_"

Jiraiya picked up Naruto by the front of his shirt and ripped it open, visible scars and bruises were evident on his poorly taken care of body. He was exposed…he was exposed and it felt like it too. He held his shirt together with one hand and punched him with the other, running out of the room. Sasuke stared in wonder and disbelief before staring daggers at Jiraiya and running out of the room towards Naruto. He was hardly panting when he caught up with Naruto whom was turning the corner, Sasuke tackling him to the ground.

"You…you have so much explaining to do that your head will spin. And if you don't say anything, I will take you home with me by force and you will be forced to face the truth. I _will _tell Kurenai this time, Naruto, and I won't butter it up."

"Get the fuck off me. You have no business meddling into my affairs."

"Least you're talking these days."

"Yeah, well a year of being with a speech therapist helps, doesn't it? But of course, you wouldn't know. After you never called nor replied to my letters, of course. Not like you sent any either."

"Are you shitting me? I sent you one almost every day, you stupid moron! What the hell kind of bullshit is coming from your mouth!?"

"What kind of bullshit is spewing from _your _mouth!? You sent me nothing!"

Naruto wrestled with Sasuke to get on top of him now, holding his arm behind his back, Sasuke's cheek pressed to the floor.

"Oh, yeah? You know, I tried connecting to a fucking operator in your region and there was never a reply from _the operator!_ What'd you fucking do so she wouldn't pick up the goddamned phone!? Huh!? All I wanted to do was to call you and talk to you, but nothing went through, how the hell was I supposed to do anything!? I tried for almost 3 years before I finally gave up because I thought you didn't want to talk to me!"

"Me not wanting to talk to you!?"

This time, Sasuke wrestled Naruto back to the ground, sitting on his upper back while holding his arms together with his hands and keeping him feet on the ground with his legs.

"That's a laugh, Sasuke! The last thing I wanted to do was not to talk to you, to any of you! Do you know how much fucking pain I went through!? It was more painful from not hearing from the family than to receive the beatings, understand!?"

"No, I don't understand! You didn't ask your dad for the phone number or anything!?"

"That was the first thing I did, stupid! I asked, he turned me down, and I tried to find ways to contact you but the mail I tried sending somehow didn't make it to you, did it?!"

"No, it didn't! Then there was someone interrupting the mail and I know it wasn't dad!"

"Then it was my dad! Fuck, get the fuck off me if we're fighting uselessly!"

Sasuke was thrown off Naruto's back and fell on his rump, Naruto on all fours as he looked towards Sasuke, the both boys panting heavily.

"The FUCK!?"

Naruto shouted, clenching his fists. Somehow, all his frustration seemed to dissipate with the skirmish, Sasuke seemed a little relieved as well. Naruto turned and fell on his butt as well, looking over at Sasuke dangerously.

"I tried everything to try and contact you…but dad interrupted all the mail I sent out and all the mail that came in. I couldn't do anything about it, I didn't know the first thing about the mailing system. He could have blocked your phone number as well from reaching me, so that's why there wasn't an answer."

He explained a little more calmly, feeling at ease again with his foster brother.

"And the other day when we came over? Why weren't you there?"

"I freaked. Sue me. Wouldn't you? You leave everything behind and all of a sudden, you all pop up. Wouldn't you freak out with everything's that been happening?"

Sasuke gave a slight nod, standing up now.

"Where's your bag? I'll give you our phone number again for the house. Dad was overly happy when he heard that you were moving back into the region."

"He didn't cry, did he?"

"I'm surprised that he didn't myself."

Sasuke replied. They stared at each other for a few seconds before breaking out into laughter, Sasuke helping Naruto stand up.

"Great. Now, can we have a real get-together this weekend at dad's house?"

"I guess. Don't tell them. I want to surprise them myself."

Naruto finally smiled, keeping a hold on Sasuke's hand.

"Yeah, sure. That's be great."

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AN: MOE! –bites handkerchief- Such a long chapter! I hope you enjoyed it cause I know I did!! Suge, I can't believe I wrote this chapter! I'm proud of myself!! ) I got carried away is the actual reason why it's so long. –laughs- Please R and R!


	4. Surprise?

AN: I think I'll stick with 3500 words from now on

AN: I think I'll stick with 3500 words from now on. –nods- much more easier to play out a plot. Plus, I'm not 14 when I started off with this account, I'm 16, so I think I can up the word count now. Also, I HATE my stupid voice at the moment with my fricking advair. Warning: may cause hoarseness of voice. I didn't realize…!! –unamused face- Anyways, because the chapters are way longer and due to the lack of time such as school and doctors, it can take some time to update. Gomen.

Surprise?

Sasuke went home that day, a smile tugging constantly at the corner of his lips. He wanted to tell everyone about everything that happened between him and Naruto, but he didn't want to disappoint his foster brother. He needed to keep everything a secret but he knew that people would start asking questions if they saw his smirk. He approached the household to find Hinata leaving for ballet practice and Choji trying to play chess with Shikamaru but failing miserably. Kiba was obviously playing with his dog, Akamaru and Gaara was reading a book while glancing occasionally towards the chess players.

"Oi, Sasuke, how'd the student council meeting go? Any new events gonna take place soon or what?"

"Halloween events are being planned, basically. We're trying to decide on whether or not we should make a school festival out of it or individual class events."

He replied in a toneless voice, Kiba throwing the Frisbee for Akamaru before turning to Sasuke again.

"Meet with our favorite blonde again?"

This time, everyone stopped what they were doing and looked at him intently. Being Sasuke, he didn't feel obliged to give into pressure and shrugged.

"I didn't bother to talk to the ass today. He'll talk to me when he's good and ready."

He retreated into the vacant house and went to his room, turning on his music to full blast before doing something un-Sasuke like. He pumped his fist into the air and grinned like an idiot before looking around quickly to make sure no one had really seen him. Once he was satisfied, he fell on his bed and began to study his economics, the grin on his face, however, resisted to disappear on the raven-haired boy's face, economics seemed less important at the moment.

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"-and for homework today, I need you to complete your novels and have a ten page essay by the end of the month. Have a good day."

"But the bell hasn't even run yet…"

"Free time."

Hayate replied to the girl, coughing in his hand as students approached him and began asking him questions. Sasuke averted his gaze from his stupid English book and up at the clock, tapping his foot impatiently on the ground as the final two minutes were passing ever so slowly. He looked over at Naruto, who seemed to be very calm about the situation and couldn't help but sigh loudly, Gaara looking over to him. Sasuke looked back and shrugged, closing his books and packing them away as he held his bag on his lap, knowing that no one had clean up duty that day so it was alright for them to meet up. How would Naruto make his entrance, though? Would he be loud or very calm…? Quiet or invisible? Yes, there was a difference between the two…at least in Sasuke's mind at the moment.

"Before I forget, the motivational speaker that was here yesterday will be staying here until the end of the year as your new guidance councilor. Make sure to drop by him if you have any troubles."

Naruto groaned under his breath, rubbing his shoulder as he remembered the pain that he caused him. For a quick moment, he glanced over at Sasuke and Gaara, turning his head back around quickly and laying it on top of the desk, looking up at the clock. Only forty-five seconds left…crap…why was it so slow…? He couldn't help but let out another sigh, looking up at the ceiling. How would he approach the house? 'Hey look guys, here I am,' wouldn't do too well…Hinata was probably at ballet class again…maybe he should walk there with Sasuke..? No, everyone else goes to the school, they'd be walking with Sasuke as well unless…he turned his head to Sasuke, wondering if he had a student council meeting and could use that as an excuse to walk with him towards the Umino household. But that was only if Sasuke had a meeting to attend to. He looked back to him and motioned with his head for Sasuke to see him. There was a slight nod but they waited until the bell FINALLY rang, Gaara getting his supplies together and walking out of the room, leaving behind Sasuke and Naruto. Hayate coughed in his hands a final time before getting out, only the clean-up crew stayed behind. Naruto looked back to Sasuke and began walking, the other boy knowing that he wanted him to follow.

"What is it?"

"Do you have a meeting to go to for student council?"

"No, that was yesterday. Why?"

"Does Hinata still go to ballet?"

"Yeah, but not today."

"Is Shikamaru in the chess club?"

"No, he's in the shogi club on Saturdays. What do you want?"

"How am I supposed to present myself to dad when everyone is walking beside us after school? It'll be a little hard to surprise them if I walk with them…"

"Yeah…well, I have to get home to prepare some things. It's better if you catch the train right after we do. It'll be easier that way with a fifteen minute interval."

"Alright then. See you later."

He watched Sasuke walk off, he sighing in relief, stress bubbling on the surface made it too hard for him to think properly. He started to head towards the track area outside, watching the soccer players getting warmed up for practice. He looked towards the boy whom he helped yesterday only to give him his ball back, but still helped nonetheless. He was passing the ball back and forth with another player, Naruto watching in awe as he showed more skill than anyone else as he bounced the ball a few times in the air on each knee before kicking it high into the air and again with his opposite foot towards his partner, making it soar just above his head. He sat down and watched for a while before he proceeded towards the street, crossing it but came to a stop when a loud screech resonated, he turned his head to see a ball bouncing away to the other side before feeling the impact of something hit him, making him skid five feet on the street before coming to a halt, his body crying out in pain. Tears sprung to his eyes as he kept them tightly shut, something heavy lain on top of him. He opened his eyes to the sound of shouts and stampeding feet. He looked up and saw black hair dangling in front of his face, blood dripping from it onto his flesh.

"LEE!"

There was a shout as he managed to get up, holding Lee in his arms on his lap. The boy was unconscious with blood covering his face and lower half of his body, more blood matting his hair to his face. Lee…Naruto quickly realized that this was the skilled person he saw earlier playing soccer. He looked around; trying to see whatever vehicle had hit him only to see more skid marks and nothing more. It was a hit and run. Naruto felt a wave of dizziness wash over him as he came to his senses—there was a boy in his hands that was probably dying. He quickly checked for a pulse and removed his vest, seeing that his legs were bleeding more severely than his head. He placed his vest under his feet in hoped of keeping the blood from going to his legs. He became slightly annoyed at not finding anything better, but there were a few people now rushing to his side. He pointed to a person and began to give orders.

"Call 9-1-1 and I need someone here to raise his legs!"

He shouted, instructing someone to sit down and place Lee's legs on top of their laps as they kneeled, Naruto taking back his vest to rip it up and begin to wrap a strip around his arms, realizing that his own arms were all scratched up from the asphalt. He checked again for his breathing as he tilted his chin skywards, trying to remember the first aid that he was taught the year before. Everyone around began asking questions while trying to direct him at the same time, Naruto's brain going into overload.

"Just shut up! I'm doing my best!"

He shouted, tapping Lee's collarbone to try and see if he could wake him up. It didn't work, so he pulled up his eyelid to see if they were dilated incase of concussion but wasn't so sure if he really knew how a person's pupil looked like when they were supposed to be asleep nor when they had a concussion. He began growing impatient with himself, not knowing anymore what to do. He began brushing his hair aside, trying to check how bad the bleeding on his head was only to hear the ambulance coming down the street, he looking at them before seeing them jump out of the ambulance, he quickly standing up and backing away, replacing his torn vest over his shoulders and watching the scene begin to unfold before him. The paramedics urging everyone away, Naruto biting his lip as he backed away, remembering he had to be at the Umino's household. He was about to run but was stopped short as a paramedic held onto his shoulder, she holding a stern face.

"Are you alright?"

"I'm fine…is he going to be alright?"

"We don't know yet. What's his name?"

"I don't know. I just came to this school yesterday, you'd better ask his teammates."

"What's your name in that case?"

"Uzumaki Naruto…"

"How old are you?"

"I'm serious, I'm not hurt or anything."

He repeated himself in an annoyed voice, knowing that she was headed in the direction to make sure he hadn't anything wrong with him as well.

"Well, you're bleeding from your head. Sit down, I'll get that fixed."

Naruto was about to protest but she kept a firm hold onto him and parted his front hair a bit, making sure that there wasn't any debris inside.

"Nice scratches... you don't need stitches, but let me clean it up."

Naruto nodded, she hovering towards the ambulance as they still tried to get Lee on top of the carrier while placing a neck brace at the same time. She finished wiping the blood away from his head but had to get back into the ambulance when they were done.

"Make sure to get yourself checked, Naruto. I can't stay any longer and there's no more room in here."

She told him while motioning inside the ambulance. She waved him off while closing the door, the ambulance zipping off towards the hospital. All the pain seemed to rush toe the boy now, his eyes rolling to the back of his head for a split second before he composed himself as best as possible, staggering back to stay on his feet. He still had to go see his family…he checked his watch to see that it was nearly time to eat for the Umino's, making him frown. He looked on the ground, seeing blood splattered every which way. His head swirled and he could feel a headache begin to nag at the front of his head, he holding his forehead in his hands before going over to pick up his bag, looking at the soccer players talk amongst themselves. In an instant, they turned over to him as if he had done something wrong. He backed away and made a run for it, slightly limping. His hip was killing him and both knees screamed out in pain as he remembered the contact he made with the ground. He made a mental count of what hurt on his body and planned to check it when he came close to getting to the Umino's. Then another thing came to mind…which train went where? Sure, he could remember vaguely where they lived, but he wasn't too sure. He made his way to a pay phone, pulling out the phone book and opening it up to look for Umino I. His finger scanned down until he found the number, scrounging around in his pockets as he placed in a few coins to dial the number with shaky hands. He waited for the phone to ring, hearing a voice answer.

"Hello…?"

"S-Sasuke please…?"

He hoped Iruka wouldn't recognize his voice. He _did_ hit puberty and all….

"Just a minute."

He could hear Iruka calling out for Sasuke to answer the phone while in the meantime, he grabbed a pencil and a sheet of paper to take down a few notes.

"Hello?"

His heart almost leaped into his throat, a faint smile almost visible on his face.

"It's Naruto…"

"What are you doing? You're late…!"

"I…got held up…listen, could you give me the house number and the transportation numbers of the buses and trains?"

"Yeah…you should have asked earlier if you didn't know."

He proceeded to give Naruto the instructions, he writing as clearly as he could while trying to keep in tears. He didn't want to cry, but everything was bubbling over. Everything of the day. Supposed to go over to the Umino's, knowing that there was still _homework _that he had forgotten about until now and wouldn't have the time to finish, the accident in particular and getting injuries that he still didn't really know how to explain to Sasuke, and what topped it off was asking for directions because he didn't know. It was such a stupid thing to get upset over, but he was. He blamed it on the shock for not crying when helping Lee. In truth, he was scared. Really scared. He didn't know what would have happened to him.

"-you still there, Naruto?"

"Yes…"

He croaked out, sniffling as he wiped his eyes on his wrist, realizing that it too, was covered in scratches.

"Are you okay?"

"I'm alright. I don't know what time I can make it there…"

"It's only going to be around 5:30 before you make it here, about. It takes around an hour to get here. Did you have anything to eat?"

"Yeah…"

"Alright, see you then."

"Yeah…bye."

He hung up the phone and let everything loose, holding his head in his hands as he thought back to the accident and to all the blood. He didn't know how he himself managed to help another human being. Slowly, his eyes closed, wanting to sleep off the shock but he opened them back up and stood up slowly, falling against the window of the booth. It still wasn't dark outside…he still had a chance to make it. He could make it there at 5:30 and then back home hopefully a little after 8 (he told Arashi that his afterschool 'activities' ended at that time). He got out of the phone booth and began to make his journey to the train station, frowning at his luck he was having that day and was, by far, one of the worst days he'd ever had.

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Naruto paced a few times on the front porch of the household, looking at his watch to see that it was exactly 5:30. He didn't want to make it seem as if he scheduled everything so he could get there at the specified time, but at the same time, he didn't want to appear later. He realized that he was only putting off the inevitable and knocked on the door, about to run away but it was only pure willpower that allowed him to stay on the porch. He waited a few seconds to realize that no one was answering the door. He sighed and started to make his way back down the driveway, not wanting to press his luck. His legs carried him down the side of the road before the door opened, revealing Choji.

"Naruto…?"

It was as if all time stopped, Naruto's head perked up as he stuck his hands into his pockets, lowering his head before making it up the driveway again, a grin crossing his face and there was nothing he could do to wipe it off his face.

"Choji…hi-oompf!"

He was locked into a bear hug before Choji's deep, bellowing voice was sounded off to warn the entire household.

"NARUTO'S HOOOOOOME!"

The hefty boy shouted, this leading to Iruka's head popping out of the side of the house, a pair of hedge cutters in his hands. The sharp instrument fell to the ground as Iruka walked over to Naruto in a ghostly manner, his eyes wide.

"Dad…"

"Naruto…you're…covered in blood…"

It was at this point in time, Choji pulled away, seeing that some blood now covered him. Naruto tried smile, but failed miserably.

"What a way…to come back to…"

He started his sentence, but finished in a way he didn't like. He wanted to say 'what a way to come _home_ to, but the blue-eyed boy had to remember that this wasn't his home anymore. Iruka stood in front of Naruto, grasping the boy's arms.

"Choji…go get the others…Naruto, follow me."

He nodded, walking with Iruka whom still hadn't said a word. They walked past the threshold of the house and Iruka turned to Naruto, hugging him closely, tears leaking from the corner of his eyes. Naruto felt, for the first time in years, the warmth and protectiveness that he had longed for from Iruka. He missed everything and everyone that was under the household, and hugged him back, feeling completely depleted of his strength. He wanted to stay with his caretaker and father forever, but he knew he only had a few precious hours before having to return to hell.

"You're hurt…what happened?"

"Someone was hit in a hit and run and he flew into me. I fell on the ground with him, that's all."

Naruto felt obliged to reply, not telling him his scratches and bruises that he knew were only beginning to form. He felt one of his cheekbones were tender as well as his hip, but his headache was really beginning to bother him now.

"I wanted to surprise you by coming here. Sasuke said that it was alright."

"By all means, why wouldn't it be?! Are you sure you're alright from the accident!?"

"I was only hit by a body, he was the one actually hit by the vehicle. Though I didn't get to see what it was…"

He tried reasoning, Iruka about to protest when the others came into the room, Kiba playfully slapping Naruto on the back, a gruff grin plastered across his face. There was running coming from the hallway, Naruto being knocked onto the ground as a large dog was licking his face, Kiba pulling Akamaru off Naruto.

"It's alright, boy."

"Naruto…"

Shikamaru and Hinata came into view, Hinata walking up to Naruto and hugged him, Naruto gingerly wrapped his arms around the female as he held her, pulling away. He didn't really have a good chance to look at her last time at school, but now was the time. "You look well."

A blush crossed her face as she looked down.

"Thanks…"

Shikamaru looked at Naruto up and down before smiling, exhaling through his nose.

"You look like shit."

"Shikamaru…"

Iruka began, but the boy then finished his sentence.

"You were better off staying here with us. Glad to see you back."

Sasuke stood at the top of the stairs, his head laid against his arm as he smiled, hearing Gaara begin to go down and Choji appearing from another room.

"You aren't happy, Gaara?"

"I don't really know him except for the few times in the past and what you told me"

"You should be grateful, Gaara…he's done a lot to ensure you became part of the family."

Gaara didn't reply to Sasuke. He had nothing else to say that wouldn't hurt either him or Naruto. Who in their right minds would do something nice to a complete and total stranger without a certain aim?

"I can't stay long…my real dad is expecting me home around 8."

Naruto spoke, Sasuke's head perking up as he remembered that he had to go back home.

"Well…we'll make the best of today as we can, right?"

Iruka spoke, smiling as he placed his hand on Naruto's head, the boy forcing himself as much as he could to not flinch from the touch before giving him a nod.

"So what should we do now…?"

Naruto looked up, tilting his head to the side as Kiba spoke. He now had tattooed red stripes on his cheeks, Naruto knowing that Iruka must have disapproved of that. He began to speak.

"Well…my dad and I…we don't have movie night…?"

He suggested, grinning out of the corner of his mouth. Iruka gave a smile and nodded.

"I'm going to go out to buy snacks in that case. I'll be back in a few minutes. Choji, wanna come along?"

The boy slowly nodded, wanting to stay but not wanting to disappoint his father. Iruka chuckled.

"Alright, I'll go alone then."

The chubby boy's eyes' sparkled, and nodded more quickly this time, Iruka slipping on his light jacket and got his keys, exiting the house.

"Now, it's time to tell us what you've been doing all these years."

Hinata smiled, grasping Naruto's hands as she led him to the living room, a radiant smile plastered on her face. Naruto finally felt like he came back home, but that time would only be shortly lived.

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AN: -Yawns- It's past me bedtime. I hope you're happy. –is happy myself- Well, I _finally _saw a doctor today. Got off the advair. –dances- but school started…I'm a fool for taking world history and leadership classes…-skulks- it's hard…anyways, goodnight all, for before I faint from exhaustion, I'm going to bed!


	5. Far Away

AN: A BIIIIIIG **BIIIIIIG** shout out to PurpleCranberi who sent me an awesome email that brightened my day. Thanks again!!! Here's another chapter guys! Sorry for the wait, school's been a bitch and so have midterms.

Far Away

Dreams filled the blonde's head as he slept finally in peace that night. He couldn't do much with his foster family that night because of the lack of time, so they ended up watching a movie until the end of his departure. His only disappointment was not being able to get through to Gaara for some reason. He seemed…distraught, somehow. The red head couldn't sit still for more than a few minutes at a time as his head kept turning over to the window for some odd reason and sometimes he getting up to look outside, closing the curtains before returning to his seat still uneasy. No matter how hard Naruto tried to dismiss the feeling, he couldn't. His biological father was surprisingly not at home when he arrived, so he went to bed before anything could happen to him that night. He made his way to the breakfast table, grabbing two slices of bread and spreading peanut butter on it, shoving it in his mouth as he ran around the house to get ready for school. "Did you have fun last night?" Naruto tensed up as he heard his father behind him, holding a carving knife.

"I gotta go!"

He spoke quickly, the sandwich falling out of his mouth as he raced out the door, his clothes in his hands and still dressed in his pajamas. His bag was under his arm and shoes already on his feet. The only thing he didn't have for the day was socks but he could live. He didn't want to go through the morning with a beating…not the best morning he'd felt in a long time.

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"Uzumaki Naruto, are you paying attention to the class?"

"Ah, sorry, I was just thinking!"

"Care to share your thoughts with the class?"

"No, not really."

Hayate coughed, closing his book.

"No, that was a rhetorical question. Share with the class what you were thinking."

Naruto scowled, looking down as he quickly thought of what he wanted to say.

"I was just thinking about the dirty books that I found in your desk yesterday after school."

He smirked; Hayate broke out into a fit of coughs, blushing.

"Naruto, I would like to see you after class."

"I'm right!? I was just kidding!"

Everyone in the class broke out into laughter as Hayate approached Naruto, a frown on his face.

"Please wait outside until I come and get you."

Naruto shrugged and walked out the door, waving to the class with a grin plastered on his face. A smile…how long had that been!?

He sat in the halls, looking down the halls. How had everything come to be…? Was their move some sort of freak accident?

"Yo, Naruto, Hayate told me to come here."

"Oh great…it's you…" Naruto groaned, standing up from the ground and about to walk away when Jiraiya grabbed his collar, smirking.

"Not so fast, Speedy. Hayate specifically asked me to talk to you."

'_Does this guy have Alzheimer's…? He's repeating himself…'_

Naruto thought, suddenly remembering all the new wounds from the accident.

"Yeah, yeah, I know I'm bothering you, but he wanted to know if you were feeling alright after the accident."

"So you know, huh? Well, I'm fine. Now will you leave?"

"Naruto, walk with me."

A smirk crossed his face. It was better to skip class than to go to the boring class. Then again, this Jiraiya person knew quite a bit about him…so much so that it actually irritated the blonde.

"How's Arashi doing?"

"Said he'd get help…been saying so for a while now."

He answered slowly, making sure that it wasn't a question that would concern him in any way. It was most likely because he was trying to break the ice between the two using the only connection he had.

"Is he good with you?"

"Just ask me what you want to ask me."

Naruto spoke in an exasperated tone, crossing his arms. Jiraiya sighed and placed his hand on the boy's head.

"You wouldn't believe me even if I told you."

"You're right about that one…"

Naruto's voice trailed off as he looked outside to see a certain red head that o-so-happened to be absent from class. He squinted his eyes and leaned forwards towards the window, trying to get a better view. Gaara was headed deeper and deeper into the bush, constantly looking over his shoulder. Something didn't sit right in his gut…not at all…and he intended to find out why.

"Someone's skipping…"

'_That's not just someone…'_

Naruto thought, sprinting off towards the school exit and across the fields. Jiraiya looked from the window and sighed, his eyebrows furrowed in worry.

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Stalking in the bush, Naruto silently watched Gaara holding a large envelope in his hands, shaking like a leaf at the same time.

"They're nice people…why don't you leave them alone?"

Came the childish voice of the red-head, pleading with the unknown. Naruto wanted to creep closer but he knew that there was no way for him to do that without being heard.

"Set that down and back away."

Someone appeared from the shadows holding a gun to Gaara. He was tall and had a mean appearance to him. This wasn't a teen like him, but a fully grown adult.

"Dad, I-"

A warning bullet went off, making Gaara flinch and forcing Naruto to cover his mouth so a gasp wouldn't be heard when the bullet planted itself in a tree next to him. The one thing that Naruto didn't want to hear was Gaara calling out to his father. A sharp pain of sympathy ached his heart, making him listen even more attentively.

"So now that you're one big fucking happy family, you think you can forget about your mother and I? I saw that Uzumaki kid…I thought he was finally gone for good. Unfortunately for you, he isn't. If you don't have the rest of your files and Iruka's by tomorrow, that idiot Uzumaki'll will find out just what's been happening. I know you're fond of him."

"Leave him out of this…I haven't brought anyone into this and neither will you or else the deal's off."

Two more shots were fired, Naruto dropping to the ground to avoid the shots. Both their heads turned as they heard rustling.

"What was that?"

His father questioned instantly, Gaara shaking his head.

"Well go find out!"

Gaara had to oblige under a gunpoint. Naruto grew frantic and looked around quickly, trying as best as he could to scramble away. Finally, he squint his eyes and left I up to chance. There were no more bushes to hide him anywhere. Gaara walked straight over to him and stared at him in the eyes, his own widened and crazy. Naruto's heart beat a million miles a minute as he stared back at Gaara, unmoving. "It's only a cat." Gaara spoke, turning back around to his father. There was sudden running and Naruto saw the man now looming over him. A maddened grin crossed his face as he turned to Gaara, lifting him up by his collar, bringing him close to his face. "You thought you could fool me…!?" He threw Gaara into a tree, kicking Naruto in his side. This was enough shock to arouse the boy, making him jump to his feet. His hand quickly grasped Gaara's hand, beginning to run away. A few more shots were fired, but never hitting them. Naruto's heart was racing a million miles a minute, his head not even thinking. Everything was purely instinctive and he hated it. It made him feel as if he were some sort of animal without a thought process. Gaara ran uselessly behind him in complete awe. The two didn't stop running until they were well enough near the school building hiding behind the dumpster.

"What were you doing…?"

Gaara's voice oozed with anger. Naruto panted over his knees, his hands shaking uncontrollably. He was scared to death about the guy chasing after them and he defiantly didn't want Gaara hurt. Not after sacrificing so much for him. The blonde's head turned upwards, placing his hands on Gaara's shoulders before pulling him forwards, staring at him face-to-face.

"Saving your sorry ass…"

He felt his muscles cry out in pain after so many encounters from a day to day occasion. It was too frequent for the boy.

"I know now…that you were never safe…"

He inhaled deeply and looked back to the bushes, knowing that his father wasn't stupid enough to show himself.

"I'm getting Sasuke-"

"Get him involved and I'll-"

"You'll what? Hit me? Get real."

Gaara shook his head and pushed Naruto off him, the blonde teen trekking after the fleeing Gaara. "What did you give him?"

"Nothing."

Naruto resisted the urge to grab Gaara again. He looked at his watch and heaved a sigh, finally standing straight. "I'm gonna tell Sasuke to keep a closer eye on you…I have my own problems to deal with."

"You better not tell him."

Naruto shrugged him off and began to walk away from the red head, ignoring his little temper tantrum. Who in their right mind would ignore something like that? A gunpoint and threats were something you don't just walk away from.

"He knows you now…you're a number."

Naruto suddenly stopped and turned his head to Gaara, giving him the thumbs up.

"That's probably something to look forwards to…"

That did it. Gaara was stunned into silence. He gazed at his un-recognized savior walk away from him without so much as a word or a glance. After all, who would welcome death so freely with open arms?

"And just incase you're wondering, Sasuke…you should be glad he's taking care of you…he was important to me for a while."

"And?"

"What do you mean 'and?'"

"You make it sound as if something happened between you."

Naruto stuck his hands in his pockets and closed his eyes, tilting his head down. He suddenly raised a finger towards Gaara, his eyes drooping, before he pointed it skywards.

"It's nice outside, huh?"

Gaara looked up for a few seconds. He looked down, about to answer the blonde only to discover that he wasn't there anymore.

"…yeah…"

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Naruto lay back against the wall while on his bed, searching through his notepad for the Umino's number. He began dialing when he heard humming from the other side of his door, making his eyes widen.

"_Hello?"_

Naruto didn't answer for a moment out of sheer terror of his father going to burst through him door any second.

"_Hello?_"

"S-Sasuke?"

"_Yeah? Naruto?"_

"You think you can meet up with me at-"

There was a sudden crash in the hallway outside Naruto's room, making him jump.

"_What was that?_"

"The Ichiraku ramen shop in half an hour."

"_Wait, Naruto-"_

Naruto quickly hung up and dashed over to the door as quietly as he could, opening it to only a crack and peering through in wondrous terror. Arashi was on one of his nervous rants as he sat in the doorway of the bathroom, a pot over his head while rocking back and forth. Naruto heaved a breath and opened his door completely, hiding behind it all the while. He squinted his eyes shut and took Jiraiya's advice about making a loud noise. He slammed it shut, two paintings in his room falling to the ground and breaking because of the vibrations. He heard his father beginning to walk towards his room, making the boy grow frantic yet again. He made a break for his window, opening it up and jumping to the tree across. He grabbed onto a thick branch and climbed down, knowing that it was the adrenaline in him that was making him work at the speed he was at. With a final glance, he gazed upwards to see his father staring down at him, grasping the window frame tightly, his eyes wide with craze. The stare made Naruto suddenly seem small and far away from his father than he had ever been before.

"See ya later, dad…"

Naruto spoke in a light voice, half tempted to stay away for the rest of the night. He turned on his heel and began running with all his might, his head kept down low in shame. He didn't want to have to run away from home anymore and he knew that there was no avoiding it. The sun had already begun setting, the streets glowing with the colors of orange and pink. Tears sprang up to Naruto's eyes, but he refused to let them fall. He was angry…angry at himself for letting his father get away with what he was doing to him and there was basically nothing he could do about it. It was taking a toll on his body and mind. He could no longer stay long enough to eat meals in fear of an outbreak, nor could he communicate properly with him other than he saying, 'it'll be alright, I'm so sorry,' or, 'I promise you, I'll get help.' He was sick of the lies and sick of the torture. What he needed was to get away…to run away from the reality that he was forced to deal with everyday. As if he was in the shoes of someone else, he realized how silly he looked running the way he was. He slowed and began panting, leaning against a pole, looking at the people going about their businesses. A small smile crept on his lips. At least the people here were sane, right?

"Naruto…"

He jumped in the air, turning around to see Sasuke standing there, pale-faced and angry. In an instant, the blonde boy raised both hands up in a sort of truce.

"I got out so nothing happened! I swear! And weren't we supposed to meet up at Ichiraku?"

"Well I figured something happened since you hung up like that…"

His voice didn't sound amused at all. Naruto sighed and frowned deeply.

"Sasuke…Gaara's father is after him…"

Sasuke's eyes widened at the news. Naruto stuck his hands in his pockets, sticking out his lower lip. He hated to be the bearer of bad news. Sasuke slammed his fist into the pole Naruto was leaning on, making his stand up straight.

"Iruka…he's gotta know."

"And do the same thing he did for you!?"

Naruto winced at Sasuke's harsh words. Slowly, Naruto shook his head.

"I'm not letting this go, Sasuke…it's not going to happen the same way it happened with me…I promise you that. If you don't want to tell Iruka, then I will have to. I won't wait until he ends up with his father…"

A gentle wind blew through Naruto and Sasuke's hair, a small smile of reassurance on the blue-eyed boy's lips made Sasuke both peeved and frustrated at the same time. It was the same as last time except now they had more power to deal with it.

"We're not ten anymore, Sasuke…I made sure Gaara was going to be in a safer environment by going to move in with my father. If Gaara goes back with his father, Sasuke, I-"

"You'll what? Huh?! Call Kurenai!? At least when he's gone, there's space for you again!"

Naruto's eyes widened, his mouth slightly falling open as he stared at his friend's pained face.

"I hate to say it like that, Naruto, but you need a new home just as much as he does! You haven't seen yourself, have you!?"

"This isn't about me, now. It's about Gaara. I guess I turned to the wrong person…see you at school."

Naruto turned on his heel, about to walk away when he felt a hand grab onto his elbow. He turned his head and saw Sasuke's pleading face.

"You didn't…I'm sorry…I'll help."

His voice was slow and forced but true. Naruto smiled again and continued walking.

"Gaara needs to be under surveillance from now on if you want to keep him safe."

He called back to Sasuke. Now that he had his back turned away from Sasuke, he let all his emotions show on his face. Pain, desperation, sorrow….longing. He wanted to go back. Finally coming to terms, he shook his head. He knew that there was no more going back. He let out a sneeze and rubbed his arms from the cold. While running away from his father, the teen didn't have any time to put a jacket on. Sighing, he made his way back home to hell.

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AN: OMG! Forgive me! I was stuck in school with a pissload of homework! I have 4 classes of 75 minutes a day on a 9 day schedule, so the days that I miss I'm given homework.

ANYWAYS! MERRY CHRISTMAS! I've been working on this whenever I could for the past 3 days so I could put it up ASAP. I hope you enjoyed it, I'm a little rusty. –sweatdrops-


	6. Broken

AN: I'm really dissapointed that I didn't get any more reviews, but I guess that's my own fault, ne? Now, this is another chapter in such a short span to compensate. Gomen nasai.

Broken

Months had passed since Naruto told Sasuke of the news and now that they were in mid December, nothing was done. Sasuke, though, kept trying to talk to Gaara about it but nothing came up. The blond boy heaved a heavy sigh as his shoulders sagged on the desk, his eyes turning to look outside. Snowflakes fell by the bucket load and began piling on top of each other. Slowly, his eyes began to close. He wanted to speak to someone, but everyone had been too preoccupied with something or someone else and Jiraiya had been on sick leave after somehow breaking leg, so he couldn't even turn to him. A loud banging noise made him jump, his eyes snapping open as he looked up to the creator of the noise. There stood a student one year older than him well known as Rock Lee, the boy he had helped during the hit and run incident two months prior.

"Uzumaki Naruto!"

Instantly, Naruto stood up and grasped Lee's outstretched hand, shaking it firmly. Lee bore a semi-serious expression before finally hugging Naruto, throwing the blond totally off guard. A few girls squealed but Naruto remained motionless. Even if it were from someone else, a hug was a hug and it had been only too long since he had received a real one, not an apology one from his father after a beating. Lee pulled away and began hopping on one foot to another.

"Thanks to you, both my legs have fully healed! And I want to thank you!"

He backed away and bowed so deeply that his nose almost touched the floor.

"Thank you, Uzumaki Naruto."

Flustered, Naruto didn't know what to do. No one had ever done that to him before and he was at a loss. Was he supposed to bow back?

"As a reward, I want you to join the soccer team!"

A hand touched his shoulder, belonging to Sasuke. Onyx eyes met cerulean and then up to the dark brown ones.

"He's in no condition to be playing soccer. Besides, it's winter."

"We have the gym to play in after school. Is there something wrong with your condition, Naruto-kun?"

"No…nothing's wrong."

Naruto threw Sasuke an icy stare. He knew he wanted to keep him safe, but Naruto was older now. He could decide things for himself on his own. Besides, he _wanted_ to play. It'd also give him a new friend. Yes, he knew that it could hurt him because of his father's inflicted wounds, but if he was careful. It was something to keep his mind off his father and more importantly, _away_ from his father.

"Great! Would you come afterschool today?"

Suddenly, everything changed.

"I can't…my father needs me to run an errand for him."

"What kind of errand?"

Sasuke's voice dripped with venom, making him shake his head.

"Ah, it's nothing."

The bell rang, Naruto sighing a breath of relief.

"I'll come tomorrow, Lee."

"Alright! See you then!" Lee ran out of the room, Naruto turning to Sasuke. Instantly, the raven-haired boy realized that they were the only two people standing in the room, but he didn't waver when he spoke.

"If this is what I think it is…"

Hayate walked in the room, cutting Sasuke off. He threw Naruto a hardened gaze filled with frustration and worry but he sat down in the end. For once, Naruto was happy to see the ill teacher. Nonetheless, he could feel Sasuke's gaze from behind. The teen sighed yet again and allowed himself to rest his head on the desk, falling into a deep slumber.

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When the bell had rung, Naruto's eyes snapped open. Sakura and Hinata stood in front of him, Sakura's hands on her hips and Hinata holding up a hand next to her mouth, giggling.

"You slept through all the classes, Naruto. It's lunch now and I'm getting worried about you falling behind! I am only the welcoming committee and I feel as if we didn't do our job properly!"

Naruto nestled his head back in his arms, letting out a loud snore. Sakura turned pink in the face to match her hair, grasping hold onto his desk.

"Please, Sakura, don't do anything rash-"

Hinata was cut off as the pink-haired female pulled the desk away, Naruto losing balance but regaining it quickly.

"Are you going to listen now!?"

"You're stupid…leave me alone."

He leaned back in his chair, determined to fall back asleep. Sakura puffed out her cheeks, turning to her friend.

"Grab his arms and follow me."

In a flash, Sakura took hold of Naruto's legs and lifted them up, beginning to walk. Immediately, not wanting Naruto to get hurt, Hinata grabbed his wrists and trailed behind Sakura.

"HEY! Let go!"

Tears sprang to his eyes as Sakura was gripping too tightly on a fresh bruise on his ankle. Hinata realized this quickly and set him down, balling her fists up on her side.

"Sakura, st-stop! You're hurting him!"

"Yeah, like I'm hurting _him._ Stop being a baby and-"

Naruto drew enough force to yank his leg away and stand up lopsidedly, cheeks flushed with anger.

"You're crazy…! You don't do that to people!"

"Then you should have just listened! Is that so hard!?"

"Listening is listening! You were trying to bring me somewhere!"

"Yeah, to the guidance counselor!"

Naruto threw his arms up in the air and turned on his heel, his eyes boring a hole in Hinata before placing a hand on her shoulder, smiling softly before walking off in his own direction. Pain seared down his leg but he tried his best not to let it show. After all, this girl was oblivious to everything around her. Naruto sighed and relinquished his anger, pulling money out of his pocket and seeing that he had enough to buy bread. A hand came in contact with his shoulder, making him turn around.

"He did it again, didn't he? What's he going to make you do now?"

"Can I go eat first?"

Naruto questioned Sasuke innocently, seeing that he had back up with him. That being Shikamaru and Choji.

"No. Now, Naruto."

Giving up, Naruto looked around to make sure no one was there or eavesdropping.

"I'm not dead yet, am I? Then there's nothing to worry about. You're overreacting and-"

Choji, this time, took hold of his arm and pulled up the sleeve. A patch of gauze was over his arm, pus and blood evident through the linings. Naruto jerked his arm away, scowling.

"I know you care…but dammit, I can't just leave him!"

He exclaimed, pulling his sleeve back over his arm, Choji crossing his arms.

"He's been getting worse every night and the best I can do is run the fuck out of the house!"

"_Worse_?"

Sasuke's eyes turned into slits, Shikamaru holding him back before he did anything he'd regret.

"How worse?"

The genius questioned, stepping forwards to Naruto.

"Nothing. Forget about it."

He was going to try and run away again, but a strong force named Choji held him tight, eyes glistening with water.

"Why won't you tell us anything? We want to help you now, Naruto…"

"Help Gaara instead!"

He shouted back, not turning around.

"Or did you forget the promise to take care of him!? I come back and he's working for his father against his will!"

That hit home for the boys, making them look down.

"And you're about to do the same thing for _your_ father tonight, Naruto."

Shikamaru replied, making him turn his head angrily.

"What I'm _doing_ for him, guys, is actually _with_ him. He's going to a mental hospital _tonight._ He finally registered himself for one."

And with that, he could finally walk free. He could hear Choji's anxious shouts and cheers, but it didn't reassure him. In fact, he was more scared than ever.

"Naruuutooo!"

He turned around again to see Choji running to him, handing him out a bento box.

"Dad made it especially for you after I told him you only eat bread for lunch."

Naruto swelled in happiness, making him take the lunchbox. Choji embraced Naruto, smiling.

"I'm going to tell dad the news tonight."

"Yeah…thanks…Cho…"

Though he didn't feel too secure about that.

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Arashi and Naruto barely spoke a word to each other for a good portion of the ride. Arashi _seemed_ to be okay, but nothing could be sure until they reached their destination.

"H-how…" Naruto cleared his throat from the raspy voice that escaped him, "how much longer?"

Suddenly, they pulled over and Arashi looked at Naruto, extending his hand over to him.

"Have you seen my helmet?"

Naruto's face dropped as fear overtook him. No, not fear…that wasn't close enough to what he was feeling.

"N-no…captain…uh…I-I…"

Tears fell from his face already. He learned that if he played along long enough as a subordinate, he'd forget about the hallucination and everything would be back to normal.

"Damn it all…where is your helmet, kid!? You may be a fresh recruit but no one goes out without it! My god…they keep getting younger every day…"

Arashi rubbed the bridge of his nose, suddenly continuing to drive. Strangely enough, he kept his eyes on the road. Naruto knew this one…they were in a tank tonight. Naruto just held on to his seat more tightly as they hit a pot hole. The black ice underneath the car made them slide, Arashi holding onto the wheel as tightly as possible. They spun until they hit a ditch, flipping over. Naruto closed his eyes tightly, knowing that it was going to be bad. At first, the car groaned and then the roof dented in, suspending both Arashi and Naruto in the air by the seatbelts. Groaning, Naruto slumped a bit, keeping his eyes closed. His eyes shot open as he heard his father clicking his belt, falling on the roof. He unbuckled Naruto as well, beginning to clear his window from the glass. He dragged himself out and began dragging Naruto out as well. He inspected Naruto as he sat up, brushing the glass off him. A gasp escaped Arashi, making him hold tightly onto Naruto.

"I knew they were too young to come to battle…"

He held Naruto closer and began crying, bringing a hand up to his throat.

"I'll take you out of your misery…I'm so sorry I have to be the one to do this."

Naruto's eyes widened as he began thrashing, his father's tears hitting his face. In his father's stupor, he managed to get away, kicking him in the face accidentally. His father snapped to his senses, looking at the tears on his hands. He then turned to look up at his son who was clenching his ribs, rubbing his neck.

"Naruto…I…"

"I can't do this anymore, dad…I just can't…"

Arashi was about to stand up to approach Naruto, but stopped short, hiss ankle hurting. He extended a hand towards Naruto, letting his head fall.

"I'm so sorry…Naruto…I'm sorry I can't be a better father…"

"Dad…you're doing your best…"

Naruto approached him and hugged his father, letting him cry in his shoulder.

"Do you have your cell, dad?"

"Yeah…"

Naruto then stood up and looked down at his father, shaking his head. Without another word, he sprinted off into the woods, leaving his father lying there on the side of the road. He didn't want to do it, but he hoped it was going to be a good enough shock for him to realize what he was doing.

"NARUTO!"

He heard his father calling out for him, but he didn't turn back nor answer him. He was running blindly away from him as best as he could. The worst he had were bruises, but it was also the fact that now he knew that his father killed his own comrades in battle if they were in too much pain. He didn't want to be a comrade…he wanted to be his son. Naruto finally broke down, panting heavily over his knees as he looked up to realize that the light snow falling earlier had thickened, making almost everything invisible. He turned his head every other way, wondering which road he should take on the small shine path. He began walking, unknowing where to go now. He kept walking until he looked up to a familiar street name. He held his body for warmth as the bitter cold wind bit through him. He walked until he reached a certain house, looking up at the lit up house. Silhouettes danced back and forth as the people inside went about their business. Licking his lips so they were no longer dry, he walked to the front doorstep, hearing sirens in a distance. He looked down as he held up a folded hand to the white door with a Christmas wreath on the door. Just a tap…that's all he needed. He was a tap away from warmth and love that he was used to…to where he was wanted and needed…to where he wanted to be—home. Finally, he mustered up enough courage to knock on the door three times. He let his arms hang to his side so he wouldn't look so pitiful with them wrapped around his body. A few seconds passed before it turned to a minute, he still waiting patiently. He contemplated about leaving, but the door opened up after a commotion inside. Iruka stood there, mouth agape. Feebly, Naruto waved his hand.

"Would…you mind if I spent the night here…?"

Iruka welcomed him in, looking at Naruto with near disbelief.

"What happened?"

"My dad and I were in a car accident because he thought he was in a tank…he's okay…"

"My god! Naruto, are you-"

"I'm fine..."

Iruka hugged Naruto tightly, looking at the clock.

"We're about to have supper…hungry?"

"Yeah…thanks for lunch today, too."

Naruto was scared but felt more at home than anywhere else. His fear originated not in the household, but if someone would come looking for him that night and drag him back to social services or worse, home.

"Naruto…I wish I could take you in again…"

Naruto smiled and pulled away from his foster father and shook his head.

"It's alright. My dad is trying."

Iruka's eyes drooped. He hoped that Naruto wouldn't say something like that…he wanted him away from the brutalities as much as the others, but he knew that it wouldn't happen.

"Let's go. You must be cold."

Naruto quickly took off his coat and boots and followed Iruka to the dining room, everyone welcoming him warmly but sure enough, a few pairs of eyes were more than upset. He stopped short to take a look at everyone, especially Sasuke and Gaara. A look in Sasuke's eye said, "I told you so." Naruto chose to ignore it, instead, get re-acquainted with everyone.

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Iruka and Naruto remained seated after everyone went to bed, the older man touching Naruto's shoulder. When he didn't flinch, he felt a sense of happiness. When he was younger, such an act of compassion was nearly always rejected.

"I know your father may be a good person, but Naruto, take a good look at yourself…"

"I know what he's doing wrong, I'm not going into denial, but you haven't seen him. When he isn't going into one of his fits, he's a good person…he's really nice…though it's very rare these days…"

"What do you mean?"

"Usually I'd be different men in the military to him…today during the accident I was a comrade and he thought he was driving a tank."

"It's not just beatings in a sane mind?"

"No…he goes into these trances. I run away most of the time but then again, when I can't, it ends up like tonight…"

Naruto didn't care that he was spilling his guts to Iruka. If anyone, he wanted only Iruka to know, no one else.

"He was going to go to the hospital today for himself…"

"Then where were you supposed to go?"

Naruto shook his head.

"I don't know."

Iruka leaned over and hugged Naruto again, kissing the top of his head. Naruto pulled Iruka in and hugged him tightly. This was the warmth and comfort he always wanted…this was what he needed. His world was there and nothing else mattered, but it had to and he was making an effort to live without his world.

"I want to come back, dad…I don't know how much more I can take…I don't want to run and hide from Sasuke and the others at school too because I don't want to tell them…"

Iruka squeezed Naruto tighter and felt tears sting his eyes.

"It's gonna be alright…I'll…I'll talk to him."

Naruto nodded and shuddered a breath, pulling away. Iruka sat down again in front of him and grasped onto the teen's hands.

"You sure you weren't hurt from the accident?"

"Yeah…my dad still thought I was a comrade so he pulled me out. Just a few bruises but they'll go away."

He waved Iruka off, making him frown even more deeply.

"I promise you…" Iruka said, standing up, "I'll fix this…"

"Thank you…"

Naruto choked out the words as he spoke, Iruka smiling.

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Naruto stirred from his bed as he heard talking below belonging to a familiar person. He quietly stood up and began to make his way down the stairs, seeing Jiraiya.

"Yeah, his father and I were in the war together…I know how he was like. He's still sleeping, right?"

"Yeah…was he always like that?"

"Yeah…but worse then I believe. He had enemies to take it out on. I don't know how bad Naruto has it, but by the looks of what I saw, it's not pretty."

Naruto listened in on Jiraiya and Iruka. War buddies…? Not good…

"You lied…loud noises don't snap him out of it…"

Naruto suddenly had the courage to say to the old man.

"What…? Naruto…!"

"You lied…" Naruto repeated himself, continuing, "he gets worse. He wanted to kill me before after the accident cause he thought I was dying. The car flipped over, there was a broken tree, bent metal, and he still didn't snap out of his trance."

Jiraiya stared at Naruto, his mouth agape.

"He's…getting worse…"

With that statement, Jiraiya proceeded to rub his temples, worrying Naruto.

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AN: Another fast update! Hope you like it! I told you I'd try and update faster now that I'm on break!!!


	7. Caught Red Handed

AN: -BOWS- SUMIMASEN HONTO NI! I've been AWOL for far too long, but now that I _finally_ polished more of my writing skills, I _should_ be writing more here. FORGIVE ME! I'm thinking of going back and changing Arashi into his real name, Minato.

Caught Red Handed

**Last Time in Breaking Love:**

"_You lied…" Naruto repeated himself, continuing, "he gets worse. He wanted to kill me before after the accident cause he thought I was dying. The car flipped over, there was a broken tree, bent metal, and he still didn't snap out of his trance."_

_Jiraiya stared at Naruto, his mouth agape. _

"_He's…getting worse…"_

With that statement, Jiraiya proceeded to rub his temples, worrying Naruto.

000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000Naruto's foot bounced up and down in class as he did his work, irritating the people around him. Hayate threw him chalk once to try and get him to stop but it didn't work. He was scared. Scared that his father would come into the school at any moment to whisk him away from his security.

"Naruto…"

His head turned up, looking at Sakura. "It's free time, you know…you don't have to keep doing your work…"

"I don't want to have homework." He lied, covering his sheet. In truth, it was to keep his mind at bay. Sakura placed her hand on his forehead, taking it away. "I _was _going to joke and ask you if you were sick, but you do feel slightly warm." He felt his forehead. "It's nothing. By the way…what are you doing in my class?" She looked over at Sasuke and blushed. Naruto smiled impishly.

"You _like_ Sasuke, don't you?"

"N-no I don't!"

Naruto placed his hands behind his head and was about to comment before he saw Jiraiya at the door looking directly at him. Without a second thought, he jumped up and weaved his way through the desks and to the old man whom quickly placed a hand on his shoulder and ushered him away.

"What's wrong?"

Naruto questioned impatiently, looking up at Jiraiya's stern face. Jiraiya looked around to make sure no one was there before pulling out a photo, showing him a picture of him and his father in army uniforms.

"Does his eyes look like this when he's…you know."

Naruto's expression said it all. Slowly but surely, his head bobbed up and down almost robotically before handing him back his picture.

"What am I supposed to do?"

Naruto's voice was hollow and empty, almost helpless as he spoke.

"As much as I want to tell you…I don't know…he never broke past the point of loud noises scaring him out of it. Right now, I say get the hell out of there and shack up with that Umino Iruka guy you talk about. Hopefully by then a few things will settle down."

Jiraiya stroked his chin, looking outside. "Then again, you'll have to live off his money…kid, why don't you shack up at my place for a while so you don't burden that Iruka guy."

Naruto began to protest, but soon stopped as soon as Jiraiya began laughing.

"I was kidding! Listen, your father has a problem and he's trying to get over it, but hell, he shouldn't be putting you through that!"

"I know that, but he can't help himself!"

Naruto yelled, trying to side with his father since no one else around him would.

"I know what you mean…"

This surprised Naruto, making him look up with a confused expression on his face. The old man's wrinkles seemed to deepen as he was lost in thought, looking upwards as if there were something of importance there.

"When your father met your mother, I didn't think I'd be able to find another kind of love out there. When he loved someone, he protected them with his life."

Naruto snorted at the irony. _'Funny how he keeps trying to take mine.'_

"Now, before you judge, he-"

"Naruto."

The blonde boy froze up as he turned his head to see his father standing before him holding his side. Naruto shook his head and looked up at Jiraiya with fear embedded in his eyes. Jiraiya clenched Naruto's shoulder tightly, looking at Arashi with stern eyes.

"You're not allowed to be in this part of the building, Arashi."

"Jiraiya…!? Long time no see! I don't see why there's a problem with seeing my son since he hasn't come home in a while."

Jiraiya's eyebrows raised a considerable amount as he turned to look down at Naruto with an amount of curiosity that couldn't be sustained.

"Naruto?"

He didn't speak. Arashi approached Naruto and stopped within a few feet and, in a small, almost infant-like voice, whispered to him.

"It's because of me…I'm telling you, Naruto, I know it's getting better! I haven't been breaking into trances recently!"

"Liar."

The words escaped Naruto's mouth.

"You don't remember what you did five days ago!? The tank episode! Don't you remember that!?"

Naruto shouted, realizing the hush that fell over his classroom beside me. He hadn't realized that the door was slightly ajar. His face flushed as he turned to his father who wasn't visible to the rest of the class due to being hidden from view. Arashi shook his head and in a weak voice, spoke.

"No…please…just come home, Naruto."

Naruto's face raised as if he were about to yell but all he could do was hang his head and begin to walk away back inside class. Hushed eyes were upon the blonde as he reached for his suitcase from the hanger on the side of his desk. A hand stopped him, he looking up to see Sasuke with eyes filled with rage. Naruto smiled softly before continuing to pick up his bag, making his way to the door. Arashi appeared at the threshold, all Umino foster teens' eyes were set upon the man now with rage. This was their first close up glimpse of the man Naruto was forced to call father. Sasuke stood up, Arashi turning to Sasuke before smiling softly to him. Sasuke was a little taken back but his eyes were set hard as ever before.

"Naruto."

Gaara spoke up now, looking from his fingers crossed his front of his face.

"Are you coming over for supper?"

It was a weird question to be coming from Gaara that made Naruto stop in his tracks. Maybe he was feeling guilty for making Naruto leave. The blonde looked from Arashi, Jiraiya, and back to Gaara before shaking his head. If he would have spoken, he would have begun crying. His fear came to life. He had the feeling that his father was going to pick him up and he was right. Naruto closed the door behind him before following his father down the hall.

"How about you stop by for a drink tonight, Jiraiya? For old time's sake?"

"Better have a few bottles of sake in that case."

He replied, staring at the back of Naruto's head. It was only then he realized that the teenager's shoulder had been shaking not out of the cold, but out of fear.

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Naruto was thrown against the wall as Arashi broke out in a fit of uncontrollable rage as he continued to pound away at him with his fists blow after blow after blow. Blood poured from a cut on his forehead, his eyes drooping with tiredness from fighting. He began fighting in the beginning but it only fueled his anger, knocking the wind out of him and then taking advantage of the situation. That was how it turned out. He didn't know what triggered the event. All he knew that he came storming after him in the living room and proceeded to attack him. When Naruto managed to grasp a lamp, he smashed it against Arashi's shoulder, forcing him to stumble back a bit but continue his assault. Naruto's mouth filled with blood as he began coughing, Arashi dealing a severe blow to his chest. There was a ringing noise, but Naruto mistook it for the ringing in his ears after Arashi delivered a few lows to the side of his head with his fists. The entire time, Naruto remained silent and didn't utter a word. He took everything in silence, silently wishing that he was once again back with Iruka in the kitchen eating a hot meal after playing with Kiba and Akamaru outside in the snow for hours. Naruto came back to the world after spacing out to find that Arashi had a hold on Naruto's blood drenched collar and had a brass knuckle in his hand. The teenager tried begging him to stop now through crimson lips, but they only seemed to move with limited amount of voice to it. The fist only had to make contact once before the teen managed to yell, trying to fight back against his father yet again.

Useless.

The only thing he managed to do was anger him. A second blow was about to fly down and make contact with his already broken skin, but a large hand stopped it, someone forcing Naruto away from Arashi. As Naruto fell, he let out an 'oomph' and cringed, one eye closing in pain while the other eye remained open to see who his savior was. It didn't surprise him too much when he saw the long-haired motivational speaker named Jiraiya. A large frown pulled down on his face as he began to squeeze Arashi's hand, giving him a good punch across the face while disarming him at the same time. Arashi yelled but Jiraiya had him in a headlock in less than ten seconds later. Finally, the older blonde seemed to snap out of it.

"You fucking calm now!?"

Jiraiya yelled out, throwing him to the ground and panting heavily.

"Look at what you fucking did to you kid, you bastard!"

He pointed to Naruto who was on the ground curled up and clutching his ribs, his breathing labored but he was still watching the scene unveil before him. Arashi began to move, Naruto getting scared and bolting upright, forgetting about his pain. It didn't take long for it to all rush back to him, making him double over. He looked down at his pathetic state and scoffed, returning his gaze to the adults. Something clicked, then. There was another adult…a third party…that saw. Naruto's eyes widened. He was caught red-handed.

"You okay, kid?"

Jiraiya asked, Naruto shook his head no and began to walk away from the scene. He wasn't going to stay there for any longer than he had to. He slipped on his school coat, shoes, and took the door, hearing Jiraiya's voice booming at Arashi.

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He had been walking for countless hours and had taken several trains. He felt pathetic and useless. People stayed away from him in case he was part of those street gangs. His face was swollen and mashed up, blood trickling down from his face still made him wipe it with his coat. When the kid in the train began to take too much notice to him, he got off at the next station, he hugging himself as the bitter cold blew through him as it would to an old person. He looked up at the falling snow and wished for an early spring because he didn't want to run away from home too much during the winter season. To his surprise, he recognized the station he was at. He could barely contain his excitement as he began limping onwards down the deserted street and away from the empty station behind him. His grin on his face slowly faded as he approached the same house he had been staying at for the past five days. The lights were off, the car was gone, and the cold quiet street was still the cold quiet street. He stopped moving for a while, the cold consuming him for a split second before it egged him on to approach the house. His lower lip jutted out as his throat clenched painfully tight, face contorted in agony—both emotional and physical. For the sake of it all, he tried knocking. No answer. He ran the doorbell a few times too. One minute…two minutes…five…nothing. He dropped to his knees and held his face with one hand, clutching his jacket with the other, sobbing. There was nowhere he could turn to now. He sat on the steps close to the side to block off a majority of the wind. His tears mixed with his blood as he tried keeping an eye open for them. He didn't even know when they'd be back. Checking his watch, he saw that it was already half past 10. To his discontent, his stomach gave a lurch and his heart clenched with longing as a car came down the street. Excitedly, he stood up to see if it was his beloved foster family but the car whizzed past the house. Dejectedly, Naruto returned to his seating position, teeth chattering from the cold. He begged whatever deity was watching over him to have some help soon or end it painlessly and swiftly.

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Naruto awoke to find himself in the same place he was except with a hand looming over him, afraid to touch the boy.

"Naruto…"

When Naruto didn't respond to the familiar voice of Umino Iruka, he knew that this proved to be more than a problem. Naruto couldn't focus onto the voices properly. His head was leaning against the pillar in such a way that made him look lifeless. Iruka took hold of Naruto's shoulders, making him flinch back and look up at the older man. Tears were evident in his eyes. Naruto tried smiling, but couldn't do so properly with blood spilling out of his mouth.

"I-I'm s-sorry…" his teeth chattered, continuing, "please d-don't get mad…"

His smile slowly formed downwards as he began to cry. Hinata made her way over to him and hugged him, pressing her warm cheek against his cold one. His world turned black.

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Waking up, Naruto felt himself bandaged with several covers over him, an oxygen mask over his face and white washed walls around him. He looked over to the side to see Iruka smiling at him, tears evident in his eyes.

"I knew you would have wanted to keep this a secret, but there was no way with your injuries."

Naruto was struck speechless.

"It's just how it used to be, isn't it…you getting beaten up by people and all I can do is watch you from the sidelines…I'm a pathetic person, aren't I?"

Iruka covered his eyes with the palms of his hands and began crying. Naruto sat up and leaned over, hugging Iruka. He bit his lip. Naruto could turn to his foster siblings and Iruka, hell, even Jiraiya, but Iruka had no one…he didn't know if he even kept contact with Kurenai anymore after what happened. So much as Naruto felt alone, he wasn't. Iruka was the one who was alone and tried to fill the emptiness with a family.

"You have people who are depending on you outside the door…"

Naruto reminded him, Iruka recollected himself and nodded, wiping his eyes.

"I told them that we didn't know what happened…what _did_ happen…?"

Naruto looked at Iruka for a few seconds before looking at the door, making sure it was closed.

"I don't know…he started beating me. He was in his trance and I don't know why or anything. Then…" his eyes widened as the memories flooded back to him, "Jiraiya…"

"Jiraiya…?"

Naruto knew that they didn't talk much but he appeared before the two at Iruka's house five days prior.

"Why was he there?"

"Dad invited him over for the evening…"

He shook his head and felt tears prick his eyes, but he refused them to slide down his face.

"I was caught…"

Iruka's face softened. No…Naruto wasn't caught, it was Arashi who was caught. Why did he make it sound like it was his fault?

"Get some sleep. I'm going to go talk to the others. You want to see them?"

Naruto shook his head no, clenching his fists on the bed.

"Not like this…" he spoke, continuing, "I don't even know how I ended up like this, how am I supposed to explain things to them..?"

Iruka shook his head, sticking his hands in his pockets.

"You don't remember…?"

Naruto shook his head no. Iruka went to go ruffle his hair but stopped midway, remembering the bruise on his head that was discovered during the examination. He massaged the bridge of his nose and smiled, kissing his forehead where it wasn't wounded before walking out.

Naruto couldn't be touched…

Not physically…

And not emotionally…

It was as if he were out of bounds. Whatever connection that was wanted to be made with the boy seemed just out of reach from anyone. Every time he made an emotional bond, he was hurt from it. Injuries made it impossible to touch him without hurting him.

Untouchable and definitely unable to be shepherded away into the loving arms of someone real…of someone able to grasp onto the meaning of reality without tearing through it and twisting it into a bitter memory of what once used to be.

As Iruka closed the door, he watched Naruto stare out the window and at the falling snow. What was he thinking about? The better question was, what will happen to him now?

"Dad…"

Choji approached Iruka and hugged him, eyes drooping.

"How is he?"

Kiba asked, holding onto Hinata securely. Iruka forced a smile.

"He'll be alright."

"Can we go see him?"

Hinata questioned, Iruka's face turning to hide his expression as he let go of Choji.

"Not right now…I…have to meet a few people. Do you think you can stay home on your own for the next few days…?"

"What are you going to do?"

Shikamaru questioned, Sasuke's eyes narrowing. Iruka laughed before it died down to a frown.

"I'm going to do what I should have done a long time ago…"

"Don't make it sound like murder."

Shikamaru sighed, crossing his arms before being herded by Iruka into the van. A familiar face of a white haired man walked down the hall behind them, Iruka turning his head to him.

"Take care of him."

He spoke, the teenagers ahead of him. The old man smirked before holding up a hand to Iruka, entering the sleeping boy.

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AN: -blank stare at document- Why the hell did I stop writing this…? It was the first time I wanted to get this chapter done so badly so I could move onto the next… -hugs Naruto- it didn't go the way I had planned it, but it's okay since it's still heading in the same direction I wanted it to. –happy face- I know it's been long, but please R&R!


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